Insect exterminator



Aug. 1, 1950 R. T. DEWEY 2,517,292

INSECT EXTERMINATOR Filed May 26, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 R5,)! T DQ wey INVENTOR,

'LJMW ATTORN EY Aug. 1, 1950 R. T. DEWEY INSECT EXTERMINATOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 26, 1947 Fay T De wey INVENTOR,

ATTOR EY Aug. 1, 1950 R. T. DEWEY INSECT EXTERMINATOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 26, 1947 R T Dewey IN VEN TOR,

M F/W ATTORNEY 1950 R. T. DEWEY 2,517,292

INSECT EXTERMINATOR Filed May 26, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IP61)! TDQWQ) INVENTOR,

BY Mwu ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 1, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 INSECT EXTEBMINATOR Ray T. Dewey, Watonga, 0kla.;

ApplicationMay 26, 1947, Serial No. 750,474 K i The present invention relates to apparatus for removing insects from growing crops, and for destroying such insects. i

The prime object of the invention is to provide a vehicle which may be drawn overa field of growing vegetation, and which will function to remove insects therefrom, and to destroy the same.

Another objects is to provide apparatus forthis purpose which will not damage the growing crop.

A further object is toprovide a combination insect remover and exterminator which may be drawn by a usual farm tractor; and which is operatively powered by friction of its own wheels with the earths surface. l

In some climates and localities, various insects accord a serious problem to young growing; field crops such as wheat, oats, alfalfa, etc. Poison sprayin the fields does not exterminate some of such insects because of the fact that they suck the sap out of the plants, rather'than eat the plant itself. One of'this type of insect is commonly called the Green Bugf" and there are others which feed in a similar manner and cannot be poisoned by spraying. Itis to combat such an insect, that the device of the present invention has been perfected.

It is therefore an object of the present invention, to provide an apparatus which will beat the insects off the plants, and thereafter will collect and kill them.

An additional object is to provide an apparatus, a

for the purposes set forth, which is simple and economical to operate, and which is efficient and durable.

Other objects will be apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying four sheets of drawings, wherein: 1

Figure 1 is a perspective view looking from a point in front and to the right hand of the apparatus;

Figure 2 is a similar view looking from a point at the rear and to the left hand of the device;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the air impelling fan and the insect exterminating hammer mill mechanism, and diagrammatically il1ustrating their relation to each other;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional View through the fan housing, and illustrating the fanand its mounting mechanism;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional View through the housing of the exterminating hammer mill, and illustrating itsdrive and its mounting mech-" anism; F r 6 is a emers i e ea nte twis 1 Claim. (01. 43-140) tive View detailing the 2 assembly l of the beater arms onthe beater shaft; 1 t Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the insect collecting mechanism, which forms-a part of the invention; H Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view taken transversely through the mechanism of Fig. 7;

, Figure 9 is a perspective view of a wheeled cart or carriage which operatively supports: the insect collecting portion of the apparatus; i Figure 10 is a view similar to Fig. 8, and illustrating the use of a drag chainwhich is an optional portion of theapparatusp i i Figure 11 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of the lower portion of the in'sect collecting manifold, and taken transversely through the same; and, l Figure 12 is a schematic elevational view illustrating the path of air flow through the apparatus. if A i i Like characters of reference designate like parts in those figures of the drawings in which they struction of the gathering unit A, the reference numeral I indicates, as a whole, an elongated hollow tubular gathering chamber or hood preferably made of heavy sheet metal.

The chamber '1 has closed ends 2, and 3,,and

intermediate its ends, the chamber'has an upwardly extending section of pipe 4 which communioates with the interior cavity 'or boredof the chamber. The suction pipe 4 has an upper bend S from which a horizontal portion 1 extends to the unit B, as will be more fully described hereinbelow. l i M The ends 2 and 3 of the chamber I are each. equipped with horizontally projectingaxial trunnions 8, and each trunnion extends through a vertical slot 9 in a fiat elongated supporting arm. or plate [0, of which there are two, and whichare identical, The slots 9 are located in the rear p01 tions of each of the plates in J as ameans for rollably supporting the cham;

her I, and its accompanying mechanism, there is provided a wheeled truck or cart, best illustrated in Fig. 9, and indicated as a whole, by the numeral H. The cart H is of simple construction, consisting only of two wheels l2 and I3 rotatably mounted upon opposite end portions of a horizontal shaft or axle l4. Two draw links or bars l5 have their rear ends pivotally engaged with the axle i4, and their forward ends are adapted to be connected to the unit B, as will be more fully described "hereinbelow.

The axle I 4 has its two ends projecting slightly beyond the wheels [2 and i3, and each project ing end portion passes through a perforation-in.

the front portion of one of the plates it. The plate It] is rockable vertically upon the 'shaftl4, and may therefore be disposed at different desired angles with relation to the earths surface. Locknuts It on the trunnions 8, act to hold the plates It in such desirably adjusted positions.

best illustrated in Figs. 8, lO'and 11, the

lower portion of the chamber I has an'elongated:

opening or slot I which: extends throughout the major? portion of the length: of the chamber. The slot I! is partially closed bya horizontally mounted flat sho'e- [S whichextends along the chamber for thelength of thecslot l-l. Above. the-shoe U8; there is left an inlet opening H! which is actually aportion of the slot H, and

which is adapted: to be either fully closed or par-- tially' opened by a 'vertica'lly adjustable plate or damper =21]; -'The-damper is vertically slidable upon pins 2 I carriedby the=-ohamber l ,.-a-nd clamping nuts-22* act to adjustably position the damper. 1

"Ilhewforward edges of the iShOE It forms with the chamber wall a vertically disposed inlet opening;F241! which is-actually a part of the. slot H, :andr'this opening is adapted to be either closed or opened by a second damper plate 24 mounted onthe inside surface of the chamber wall. Pins 25 and clampingxnutsfit act to-holdrthe plate 24 in desired positions of adjustability.

Journalled for rotation in the two plates I0,

and-dying between the chamber i and the axle l4-,,- there is: provided a horizontal. shaft 21'. Rigidly mounted on the shaft 21 isra cylindrical drum 28 having. radially projecting vanes or paddles 29 The shaft 2'l ,-drum' "2B, and paddles 28 constitute: a paddle: wheel which is: adapted to rotateimmediately in front of the openings Hand 23 of the hood' t. Rotation of the paddle wheel acts to contact and beatthe salks of growing crop, in order to brush or jar insects therefrom.

some cfthe insects #are threw into the. path of air entering the hood through the opening 19, while those insects which fall upon the the ground, are sucked into the hood-by air'-enter-- ingthe opening/23. V

a means for driving the paddle wheel, a suitable pulley 30 is mounted on one end of the shaft 2'! just insideof the plate It (Fig. 7)., and the wheel I 2 has an enlarged inside hub extension which forms-a driving pulley '31. An endless belt 32 drivably envelopes both pulleys 30 and 3! so that thexpaddle wheel is forcibly rotated by rotation :of the wheel l2;

In some instances it may be foundvdesirable to'ope'rate the device over a field in which the crop is "too short to be contacted by the paddle:

wheel. 'Insuch cases, 'a drag chain or cable 3'3 maybe carried by thed'raw bars- 15 or by links 34 connected to the axle 14,50 that the drop will be violently agitated in front of the hood- I (Figs. 9 and 10).

The upper rear portion of the paddle wheel may be partially covered by an arcuate shield 35 mounted on the hood I, if desired.

The mechanism thus far described hereinabove, and the various parts of which are indicated by the reference numerals I to 35 inclusive, constitutes the insect gathering or collectingunit A of the invention. The exterminatingorinsect 'disposarunit B will next be described hereinbelow attention being particularly directed to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 of the "drawings.

In those figures of the drawings:

The reference numerals 40 and 4! indicate, respectively, right and left hand wheels which are adapted to roll upon the earths surface, and to support the unit 13, through action of a usual horizontal axle, not shown, but to which the two wheels are: keyed. The rear ends of: two

forwardly converging draw-bars 42 are: con.- nected to said axle, so that the entire device.

orifice, within which thefront end of the hori- ZOl'lliZtl portion-.1 of the. suction pipe 4 is connected. I

As best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4, the front end 46v ofv the housing: is equipped with a rigidly mountedaforwardly projecting bracket 48,

having an upstanding end. 49 which carries a frictionless-bearing 58' The housing end 45' also has a frictionless bearing. 5| mounted therein, and the two hearings journal a fan shaft 52.

Within the housing: 45, and adjacent the in.- side surface "of the front wall 46 thereof, and rigidly keyed or-otherwisev attached to the inner end: of theshaft-lthere is provided a flat plate or disc 53. Rigidly mounted on theinner face of the disc 53., is a plurality of suitable vanes or fan blades 5 4which project laterally toward.

thesrear end of thehousing, and which radiate outwardly from the shaft '52. The fan blades 54. may be of anysuitable type for impelling air when. the-shaft 5'2. and disc 53 are rapidly -rotated. A suitable nut-.55 isv provided on the inner end of the shaft '52 for holding the. disc 53 in place- Thehousing45 1 1asan axial inlet opening in its rear wall 41, and a nipple it or other suit able means. is. provided. for connection to the horizontal. portion '1 of the pipe 4 of the unit .5. The upper portionof the. housing. 45 opens into a hollow horizontal conveyor .pipe 51 which is adapted to carry off airfrom the housing. of course, the conveyor pipe 51 also conveys any foreignv matter which might be entrained in the air. Suitable braces 58 are provided for rigidly supporting the conveyor 51 above the floor 43.

The conveyor pipe 51 leads 'to a hollow'cylindrical hammer mill housing 60' which has both of its ends closed. The front end of the mill housing til is indicated by the reference nu- The" 1iousingtol'ias a dow'mvarclly extending open 5 outlet spout 63 adapted to discharge air and air entrained matter on to the earth's surface at one side of the vehicle.

The two end walls 61 and "62 of the housing 60 have axially located frictionless bearings 64 which journal for rotation a horizontal shaft 65. That portion of the shaft 65 which resides between the bearings 64, is made polygonal in cross section. This polygonal portion of the shaft is completely covered by an assembly of elongated strap metal hammers 66 which have central openings registering with and closely enveloping the polygonal portion of the shaft.

Each alternate one of the hammers 66 is disposed at ninety degrees from the next adjacent hammer (Fig. 3), and the hammers substantially fill the transverse extent of the space within the housing 6. It is thought to be obvious that when the shaft 55 and hammers B6 are in rapid rotation, they will substantially sweep the entire space within the housing 60. The hammers 66 and the shaft 65 constitute a hammer. 'mill which is adapted to beat and kill any insects which may be entrained in the air which enters the housing 60.

As a means for driving the shaft 65 to rotation, the forward end of the shaft projects a suitable distance through the front bearing 64, and to this projecting end portion of the shaft is keyed,

or otherwise rigidly mounted, a pulley 51 (Figs. 1

and 5).

That portion of the fan shaft 52 which resides between the bearings 50 and 5| of the fan housing 45, is equipped with an inner pulley 6B and an outer pulley 69, both of which are keyed to the shaft. An endless belt 70 envelopes the pulleys 58 and 6! to cause simultaneous rotation of both, when the shaft 52 is rotated.

The shaft 52 is adapted to be driven to rotation through the office of an endless belt H traveling over the outer pulley 69. The belt H is driven from any suitable belt and pulley train, or conventional gear train, not shown, but located within a housing 12 on the floor 43 (Fig. 1). This gear train can be driven either by a power take-off from a tractor, or by an individual power unit carried by the unit 13.

The rear portion of the floor 43 is provided with eyes or other connecting means 13, whereby the draw-bars I5 may be connected to the unit B, so that the unit A will trail the same.

In operation, when the vehicle is being drawn over a field of growing crop, the fan, the hammer mill and the paddle wheel are all driven to rotation.

Forward motion of the vehicle causes either the paddle wheel or the chain 33 to dislodge insects from the crop.

The suction of the fan creates a suction at the openings I 9 and 23 of the hood I, and the insects are drawn therethrough into the hood. Air suction further draws the insects entrained in the air, upwardly through the pipe 4, and horizontally through the ipe portion 1 into the fan housing 45. The insects pass through the fan and are blown through the horizontal conveyor 51 into the hammer mill housing 60.

The insects are driven at a comparatively high velocity into the path of the rotating hammer blades 66, and the insects are killed by violent contact therewith. The dead insects are then blown out of the discharge spout 63 at one side of the path in which the vehicle is traveling.

Draft through the inlet openings l9 and 23 of the hood I may be regulated by selectively setting the damper plates 20 and 24.

The hood I may be selectively raised or lowered with relation to the earths surface, by the proper setting of the two locknuts I 6 on the trunnions 8.

Obviously the invention is susceptible to some change or alteration without defeating its practicability, and I therefore do not wish to be confined to the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings and described herein, further than I am limited by the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

In an insect exterminating apparatus: a first wheeled vehicle unit adapted to be drawn over a field of growing crop comprising a beater-mill having a discharge to the ground; a housed rotary fan having its discharge in communication with the mill; a second wheeled vehicle unit adapted to be drawn behind the first unit comprising a collector hood carried by the second unit and having an elongated opening presented to the crop; a sliding closure for said opening; a duct leading from the hood to the suction side of said fan; and a rotatable beater carried by the second unit for dislodging insects from the crop in front of said opening. 4

RAY T. DEWEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 229,390 Dunning June 29, 1880 1,431,108 Fenley Oct. 3, 1922 1,457,420 Bender June 5, 1923 1,464,799 Anderson Aug. 14, 1923 1,989,405 Dillman Jan. 29, 1935 2,374,150 Williams Apr. 17, 1945 

